dabble in — to take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way, without serious commitment
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way, without serious commitment
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdæbəl ɪn/
Example Sentences
- My boss claims he dabbles in cooking, but his pasta tastes like cardboard soaked in ketchup.
- She decided to dabble in cryptocurrency after watching a YouTube video.
- I dabble in gardening, which means I kill plants professionally.
dabble in
NOUN[/ˈdæbəl ɪn/]
to take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way, without serious commitment
On weekends, he likes to dabble in pottery just for fun.
He dabbles in art but just babbles to the rabble!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The verb 'dabble' originates from Middle Dutch 'dabbelen', meaning to splash or paddle in water. The word evolved from its literal sense of dipping one's toes or fingers into water—comparable to how ducks briefly submerge their heads to feed—to the figurative sense of engaging in an activity superficially or as a casual hobby without deep commitment.
Breakdown
Middle Dutch 'dabbelen' (to splash, paddle in water) is the root form, with the English suffix '-le' added to form the modern verb 'dabble'. The morpheme structure suggests iterative or frequentative action, indicating repeated or shallow contact with water or, metaphorically, with a subject of interest.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My boss claims he dabbles in cooking, but his pasta tastes like cardboard soaked in ketchup.”
“She decided to dabble in cryptocurrency after watching a YouTube video.”
“I dabble in gardening, which means I kill plants professionally.”
“Many celebrities dabble in fashion design with mixed results.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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